For the week of December 14, 2000 Potpourri •TIOGA — Harmony church: The "S" Files, a presentation combining internet surfing with Old Testament prophecies; Dec. 17, 6 p.m. The Jesus team and Tiny Tones, presenters; Stephen Richardson, pastor. Christmas Programs •HAYNESVILLE — First church: "Welcome to Our World’ musical; Dec. 17, 6 p.m.; Terrell Jackson, minister of music; Shelby Cowling, pastor.   •DEQUINCY — First church: choir presents "How Do You Welcome a King?" Dec. 17, 7 p.m.; Jared Prewitt, minister of music; Eddie Clement, pastor.   •SHREVEPORT — Shreve City church: "In Adoration of the King of Kings" musical; Dec. 16, 3 p.m.; Dec. 17, 10:45 a.m.; Bobby Jones, minister of music; Gene Nix, interim pastor.   •HAYNESVILLE — North Acres church: adult choir presents "The Night Christ Was Born," Dec. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Max Hutto, minister of music; Roy Strother, pastor.   •ELM GROVE — Elm Grove church: choir presents "Smoky Mountain Christmas," Dec. 16-17, 7 p.m.; Charles Anderson, minister of music; Ed Baswell, pastor.   •ALBANY — Blood River church: "The Plane Truth About Christmas" children’s musical; Dec. 17, 6 p.m.; Melanie Roudkovski, director; Viktor … [Read more...]

Hussein El Abed leans against a stonewall on the side of a narrow dirt road. The sun is just beginning to set. He waits. Unlike Christians around the world, this 54-year-old Palestinian shepherd in Bethlehem is not waiting for Christmas Eve to begin. When the sun sets, Hussein and more than 1.2 billion fellow Muslims worldwide will sit down to a meal that breaks their sunrise-to-sunset Ramadan fast.   As evening approaches, not a single star will be visible in the mostly cloudy sky, certainly not like the one that guided the shepherds 2,000 years ago.   Nevertheless, would-be wise men can follow a modern-day light source - car lights - to Manger Square, the traditional site for Jesus’ birth.   Each year, nearly 15,000 tourists - equal to almost a third of Bethlehem’s population - flood the small, not-as-sleepy-as-one-might-expect West Bank town to celebrate Christmas.   But most of the Christians making their way to Manger Square will be coming from somewhere besides Bethlehem. In recent years, Muslims have become the majority in this small town known worldwide as the birthplace of Christianity.   Southern Baptist representatives throughout the Middle East are … [Read more...]

If Joseph and Mary were to venture into Bethlehem this Christmas Eve looking for a room at the inn, they would need a fast donkey to dodge bullets. If Joseph and Mary were to venture into Bethlehem this Christmas Eve looking for a room at the inn, they would need a fast donkey to dodge bullets.   Caught in the crossfire - that is how Christians in the Middle East have felt as Jews and Arabs fight over a homeland. Now that hopes for Israeli-Palestinian peace have collapsed once again into street warfare, the Christians’ sense of living under siege has returned.   That even is true for members of the Palestinian Christian minority, despite their general support for Palestinian statehood. However, since the violence has exploded even they have been denounced by some militant Muslim leaders.   It also is true for American Christians working in the wider Arab world, who must cope with Muslim friends and neighbors who are angry at what they see as unjust United States policy in the region. "In our three years living in the Middle East, we have received many warnings from the U.S. Embassy regarding possible terrorist actions or other anti-American activity," one American evangelical couple … [Read more...]

The majority of the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates place a possible pregnancy in about the same health category as a mild case of the sniffles or heartburn. The majority of the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates place a possible pregnancy in about the same health category as a mild case of the sniffles or heartburn. Earlier this month, the AMA delegates asked the federal Food and Drug Administration to consider making "emergency contraception" available over the counter. These medicines are taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse and again in another 12 hours. They are commonly referred to as "morning after" pills and are about 75 percent effective in preventing implantation of a fertilized egg, or embryo, into the uterine lining, thus aborting the pregnancy. Apparently, the AMA delegates want to make buying medicines that would abort a pregnancy as accessible as aspirin, antacids or nose spray. Anyone able to buy aspirin could buy the pills necessary to abort a pregnancy. Making available over the counter the medicines necessary to abort a pregnancy would mean there would be no restrictions on who purchases them. The AMA representatives seem to think that medical … [Read more...]

Since they left the Mormon Church, Jerald and Sandra Tanner have spent some four decades challenging the beliefs of their former faith. Since they left the Mormon Church, Jerald and Sandra Tanner have spent some four decades challenging the beliefs of their former faith.   Part of that battle led the couple to post 17 pages of a Mormon handbook on a website. The pages were from a closely-guarded book that is not available to the public or even general church membership. They deal with church disciplinary procedures and how people can get their names removed from Mormon church rolls.   In turn, that led Church of Latter-day Saints officials to sue the couple. Mormon officials claimed the couple violated copyright laws.   The case now has been settled - pending court approval.   Reports say the Tanners have agreed to a Latter-day Saints proposal to destroy copies of a Mormon handbook they posted on their www.utlm.org website, which is part of the Tanner’s Utah Lighthouse Ministry. The couple also has agreed to remove links to - or any mention of - websites carrying the Mormon Church Handbook of Instruction.   In exchange, the church has agreed to drop its claims … [Read more...]

When his mother checked into a nursing home, Travis Collins says he was pleased the short-term rehabilitation did not interrupt her giving to First Baptist Church of Mount Washington, Ky. When his mother checked into a nursing home, Travis Collins says he was pleased the short-term rehabilitation did not interrupt her giving to First Baptist Church of Mount Washington, Ky. The 81-year-old member is one of nearly 20 people or families at the church who have signed up this year for automatic checkbook deductions to contribute to the budget. "That’s one less thing she has to worry about," said Collins, pastor of the Kentucky congregation. "What we’re trying to do is facilitate the giving of offerings." First Baptist Church has joined a trend toward electronic tithing. While the numbers are not clear, a suburban Minneapolis firm that processes such payments for 3,200 churches reports a growing interest in the practice. "The momentum is clearly there," said Len Thiede, senior account manager for Vanco Services. "We’re getting contracts every day." It is not clear how many are involved. Last year, a religious magazine estimated about 5 percent of all United States churches use electronic transfers. But because so … [Read more...]

A meeting has been set next month to organize the Louisiana Baptist Argicultural Missions Fellowship. A meeting has been set next month to organize the Louisiana Baptist Argicultural Missions Fellowship.   State convention leaders have set January 27, 2001, as the date for officially establishing the new fellowship. The organizational meeting is set at the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria at 10 a.m.   The group is designed to promote Christian service by Louisiana Baptists involved in the agricultural field, explained Buddy Day, who serves as Louisiana Baptist Men’s Ministry director.   The state fellowship will operate with the Men’s Ministry office and is open to any Louisiana Baptist, Day noted. No dues are required for membership.   Nine specific objectives are set for the fellowship, Day said. Once established, the state group will work to:   • Encourage farmers, professional agricultural workers, veterinarians and others to learn more about Southern Baptist missions efforts, especially those related to agricultural missions.   • Encourage persons to increase their missions support.   • Provide opportunities for persons to … [Read more...]

The good news is that enrollment at Louisiana College has climbed in the last few years to near-record totals. The good news is that enrollment at Louisiana College has climbed in the last few years to near-record totals.   The bad news is that the Louisiana Baptist school is running out of places to house those living on campus.   Last week, Louisiana College trustees moved to address the concern, authorizing the construction of another residence facility as soon as possible.   In an unanimous resolution, trustees approved construction of the facility as soon as Louisiana College officials negotiate an acceptable contract and raise $1.2 million.   LC President Rory Lee told trustees he hopes to have the needed funds early in the new year, enabling construction to begin. If construction can begin early in January, the new facility could be completed by the opening of the fall 2001 semester - or soon afterward, Lee explained.   Current construction bids total almost $1.5 million, but that is a little higher than projected costs. Thus, trustees also authorized college administrators to work with contractors to bring construction fees in line with earlier … [Read more...]

Not only did the letter by Bro. Hoychick fail to refute the charge that the Louisiana Baptist Pastor’s Conference has become dominated by fundamentalists and their agenda, he accidentally reinforced it. Not only did the letter by Bro. Hoychick fail to refute the charge that the Louisiana Baptist Pastor’s Conference has become dominated by fundamentalists and their agenda, he accidentally reinforced it. He did so by reminding us in 1989 Perry Sanders almost was elected president of the LBPC. By mentioning this fact, Hoychick alerts us to what concerns Bro. Shaver and others, which is how much things have changed in eleven years. When Hoychick asked, "If we are political, why was he (Sanders) and those who nominated and voted for him at the pastors’ conference?" he attempted to gloss over the gap between 1989 and the present. The new LBPC president is Jerry Chaddick, prominent and active with the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship.   Not every sermon at the LBPC was political, and not every speaker was a fundamentalist, a fact Scott Shaver acknowledged. But the presence of and remarks by Paul Pressler, "one of the architects of the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention" (Baptist Message, … [Read more...]

For the week of December 21, 2000 Potpourri •HODGE - Hodge church: Jennifer Permenter presents New Year’s Eve concert; Dec. 31, 6:30 p.m.; Dwayne Boudreaux, pastor.   •DRY CREEK - Dry Creek Camp: New Year’s Youth Retreat; begins Dec. 31, 4 p.m., ends Jan. 1, 2001, 3 p.m.; cost is $35. Shannon Collins, speaker, Ryan Richardson, music; to pre-register call (337) 328-7531. Dry Creek Baptist Camp, P.O. Box 580, Dry Creek, LA 70637; www.drycreek.net.   •MAMOU - First church: Sullivan Family in concert Dec. 29, 6:30 p.m.; James Hutchinson, pastor. Revivals •SIMPSON - Simpson church: Jan. 7, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Jan. 8-10, 7 p.m.; Earlean Hall, music; James Miller, pastor. Minister Needed •DESTIN, FL - First church: seeks youth director, contact Bob Boone at (850) 837-6515 or email flcdestin@aolcom.   •DENHAM SPRINGS - Northside church: seeking a pianist; for more information call (225) 664-3161.   •CALHOUN CITY, MS - First church: seeks full-time minister of music; send resume to Paul L. Smith and Helen Lackey, P.O. Box 94, Calhoun City, MS 38916 or for more information call (662) 628-6633, fax (662) 628-1733; email, www.ccfbc.com. Paul Smith, pastor.   •HEFLIN - … [Read more...]